Down through the ages, Russia has tried to kill the Ukrainian identity. They have done everything to present Ukraine as the rural outskirts of the ‘great, educated and advanced’ Russian empire. But the ones who proclaimed themselves enlighteners were merely butchers, murderers. They did everything they could to erase Ukrainian culture, traditions, and even the Ukrainian language itself.
And they are still doing this, even now, literally. During the last eleven years of war, Russia has killed hundreds of people of literature. Writers, poets, translators, editors, publishers and librarians. Ukrainian men and women. As you read these words, others are left to disappear in an unread draft forever.
There is a project called ‘Nedopysani‘ (‘Unfinished‘ in English). It’s a memorial site for people of literature who will never be able to put that final dot in their notebook, who will never be able to take into their hands their first published book. And so, this is our hard and painful mission. This is what we must do for them. It is inevitable.
Today, we present the first instalment of our new translation series, ‘Words Live On’. We have done our best, and we hope that it will speak to our Dear Readers in a way that cold, clinical war statistics cannot.
Glory to Ukraine! To our heroes — glory!
we all will die
so it seems, that life has no meaning.
all meaning is in us, in a human head.
we set the vector of meaning on our own.
that’s why we invented a god.
based in
our image and after our likeness.
by ourselves
in ourselves
but i assure you
living – mandatory
ми всі помрем
і схоже, що у житті нема сенсу.
усі сенси у нас, в людській голові.
ми самі задаєм вектор смислу.
тому і придумали бога.
на основі
образу і подобі.
самі по собі
з себе
але запевняю
жити – треба
Original poem by HENNADII HAVRYLIV
Translation by TETIANA ALEKSINA
© All rights reserved 2025
unbolt me 
I am glad to see this series start… their words will be heard!
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Yes, the voice of ordinary folks who did extraordinary things for the sake of freedom. Thank you so much for reading, my friend.
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It is definitely my pleasure!
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What an important undertaking this is – keeping the memories and the words of these creatives alive. Maybe one day you could bring them all together in book form. I’ve just started following the project over on Instagram. Thank you for what you are doing.
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Thank you for paying your respects to these creatives along with us, Andy. It means a lot! 🙏
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Велика трагедія втратити стільки молодих і талановитих поетів, але “жити – треба”!
Ми молимося за твою безпеку та добробут, дорога Танечкo.
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Дякую, моя люба дорога Доллі!
Так, це трагедія. Україна втрачає не тільки поетів, на жаль. Гинуть найкращі. 💔
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Sadness, and a wish for much power to the writer’s elbow
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Thank you, Crispina.
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Tony,
I understand this has to be horrible. What I also hate is how Russia and China try to ruin our good name. That way only they are the only powers in the earth. Their end is coming and I pray Ukraine will be free.
Thank you, Gary
Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
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Thanks for reading, Gary. Authoritarianism seems to be the preferred mode for a lot of governments around the world these days (or perhaps it never really went away to begin with). Democracy has its flaws, but it’s the best we’ve got, and we ordinary folks have got to fight for it.
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Yes for sure.
Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
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